Abstract: An axial flow blood pump for intracorporeal or extracorporeal use pumps blood axially through a cylindrical conduit disposed in the bloodstream of a patient. The pump further includes a pump stator mounted in the conduit and a motor stator located either externally or internally of the conduit which applies a magnetic flux in the conduit. A rotor located in the conduit carries permanent magnets which interact with the applied magnetic flux to rotate the rotor. The rotor also carries impeller blades which, during rotation, produces an axial flow of blood through the conduit. During rotor rotation, the rotor is radially suspended solely by one or more hydrodynamic bearings formed by blood flowing through the conduit, with the location of at least one hydrodynamic bearing defined by a radial gap between the inside surface of the conduit and the rotor.

Abstract: A brushless DC motor has a rotor with impeller blades mounted thereon to pump blood through the central portion of the motor. Over a portion of its length, the rotor has a cylindrical surface that is spaced from a cooperating cylindrical surface on the motor stator. There is a gap between these cylindrical surfaces through which there is a leakage flow of blood. The relative motion between the cylindrical surfaces provides a hydrodynamic bearing that suspends the rotor in the stator.

Abstract: Two redundant hearts are operated simultaneously for normal patient activity, one of said hearts having sufficient capacity to maintain life at a reduced activity in the event of failure of the other.A single housing contains two brushless DC motors that pump hydraulic fluid to diaphragms which are part of the two respective hearts. The diaphragms operate, on the blood side, to pump blood in a single blood system connected respectively to the aorta, left atrium, right atrium and pulmonary artery.If one motor fails, the remaining motor will pump sufficient blood to keep the patient alive until the heart can be replaced.

Abstract: A housing for enclosing a power source for operating an implanted artificial organ is provided. The housing has an annular rim defining an aperture and is mounted in the human body such that replacement of the power source through the aperture is effected from outside the body without resort to surgical means. The housing is secured in the body by attachment to internal tissue, preferably bone.